CORE COMPETENCIES

Communication
1. Connect and engage with others

C
2. Acquire, interpret, and present information
3. Collaborate to plan, carry out, and review constructions and activities
4. Explain/recount and reflect on experiences and accomplishments

Creative Thinking
1. Novelty and value

T 2.
3.
Generating ideas
Developing ideas

Critical Thinking
1. Analyze and critique

T 2.
3.
Question and investigate
Develop and design

Positive Personal & Cultural Identity

1. Relationship and cultural contexts
2. Personal values and choice
PS 3. Personal strengths and abilities

Personal Awareness & Responsibility

1. Self-determination
2. Self-regulation

PS 3. Well-being

Social Responsibility
1. Contributing to community and caring for the environment
2. Solving problems in peaceful ways

PS 3.
4.
Valuing diversity
Building Relationships
 COMMUNICATION
CORE COMPETENCY

C
The Communication competency encompasses the set of abilities that students
use to impart and exchange information, experiences, and ideas, to explore the
world around them, and to understand and effectively engage in the use of
digital media. Communication competency provides a bridge between students’
learning, their personal and social identity and relationships, and the world in
which they interact.

1. Connect and engage with others (to share and develop ideas)
Sample “I” Statements
• I ask and respond to simple, direct questions.
• I am an active listener; I support and encourage the person speaking.
• I recognize that there are different points-of-view and I can disagree respectfully.

2. Acquire, interpret, and present information (includes inquiries)

Sample “I” Statements
• I can understand and share information about a topic that is important to me.
• I present information clearly and in an organized way.
• I can present information and ideas to an audience I may not know.

3. Collaborate to plan, carry out, and review constructions 


and activities
Sample “I” Statements
• I can work with others to achieve a common goal; I do my share.
• I can take on roles and responsibilities in a group.
• I can summarize key ideas and identify the ways we agree (commonalities).

4. Explain/recount and reflect on experiences and accomplishments

Sample “I” Statements
• I give, receive, and act on feedback.
• I can recount simple experiences and activities and tell something I learned.
• I can represent my learning, and tell how it connects to my experiences and efforts.

The profiles emphasize the concept of growing and expanding.

They are progressive and additive.
 CREATIVE THINKING
CORE COMPETENCY

T
Creative thinking involves the generation of new ideas and concepts that have
value to the individual or others, and the development of these ideas and
concepts from thought to reality.

1. Novelty and value

Sample “I” Statements
• I get ideas when I play. My ideas are fun for me and make me happy.
• I can get new ideas or build on other people’s ideas, to create new things within the
constraints of a form, a problem, or materials.
• I generate new ideas as I pursue my interests.
• I get ideas that are new to my peers.
• I can develop a body of creative work over time in an area I’m interested in or passionate about.

2. Generating ideas
Sample “I” Statements
• I get ideas when I use my senses to explore.
• I build on others’ ideas and add new ideas of my own, or combine other people’s ideas in
new ways to create new things or solve straightforward problems.
• I deliberately learn a lot about something (e.g. by doing research, talking to others or
practising) so that I am able to generate new ideas or ideas just pop into my head.
• I have deliberate strategies for quieting my conscious mind (e.g. walking away for a while, doing
something relaxing, being deliberately playful) so that I can be more creative.
• I have interests and passions that I pursue over time.

3. Developing ideas
Sample “I” Statements
• I make my ideas work or I change what I am doing.
• I can usually make my ideas work within the constraints of a given form, problem, and
materials if I keep playing with them.
• I build the skills I need to make my ideas work, and usually succeed, even if it takes a few tries.
• I use my experiences with various steps and attempts to direct my future work.
• I can persevere over years if necessary to develop my ideas. I expect ambiguity, failure, and
setbacks, and use them to advance my thinking.

The profiles emphasize the concept of growing and expanding.

They are progressive and additive.
 CRITICAL THINKING
CORE COMPETENCY

T
Critical thinking involves making judgements based on reasoning: students
consider options; analyze these using specific criteria; and draw conclusions
and make judgements. Critical thinking competency encompasses a set of
abilities that students use to examine their own thinking, and that of others,
about information that they receive through observation, experience, and
various forms of communication.

1. Analyze and critique

Sample “I” Statements
•I can show if I like something or not.
•I can identify criteria that I can use to analyze evidence.
•I can analyze evidence from different perspectives.
•I can reflect on and evaluate my thinking, products, and actions.
•I can analyze my own assumptions and beliefs and consider views that do not fit with them.

2. Question and investigate

Sample “I” Statements
•I can explore materials and actions.
•I can ask open-ended questions and gather information.
•I can consider more than one way to proceed in an investigation.
•I can evaluate the credibility of sources of information.
•I can tell the difference between facts and interpretations, opinions, or judgements.

3. Develop and design

Sample “I” Statements
•I can experiment with different ways of doing things.
•I can develop criteria for evaluating design options.
•I can monitor my progress and adjust my actions to make sure I achieve what I want.
•I can make choices that will help me create my intended impact on an audience or situation.

The profiles emphasize the concept of growing and expanding.

They are progressive and additive.
 P OSI T IVE P ERS ONA L
& CULTURAL IDENTITY
CORE COMPETENCY

PS
A positive personal and cultural identity is the awareness, understanding, and
appreciation of all the facets that contribute to a healthy sense of oneself. It includes
awareness and understanding of one’s family background, heritage(s), language(s),
beliefs, and perspectives in a pluralistic society. Students who have a positive
personal and cultural identity value their personal and cultural narratives, and
understand how these shape their identity. Supported by a sense of self-worth, self-
awareness, and positive identity, students become con dent individuals who take
satisfaction in who they are, and what they can do to contribute to their own well-
being and to the well-being of their family, community, and society.

1. Relationships and cultural contexts

Sample “I” Statements
• I can describe my family and community.
• I am able to identify the different groups that I belong to.
• I understand that my identity is made up of many interconnected aspects (such as life
experiences, family history, heritage, peer groups).
• I understand that learning is continuous and my concept of self and identity will continue 

to evolve.

2. Personal values and choices

Sample “I” Statements
•I can tell what is important to me.
•I can explain what my values are and how they affect choices I make.
•I can tell how some important aspects of my life have influenced my values.
•I understand how my values shape my choices.

3. Personal strengths and abilities

Sample “I” Statements
• I can identify my individual characteristics.
• I can describe/express my attributes, characteristics, and skills.
• I can reflect on my strengths and identify my potential as a leader in my community.
• I understand I will continue to develop new abilities and strengths to help me meet new challenges.

The profiles emphasize the concept of growing and expanding.

They are progressive and additive.
 PERSONAL AWARENESS
& RESPONSIBILITY
CORE COMPETENCY

PS
Personal awareness and responsibility includes the skills, strategies, and dispositions
that help students to stay healthy and active, set goals, monitor progress, regulate
emotions, respect their own rights and the rights of others, manage stress, and
persevere in difficult situations. Students who demonstrate personal awareness and
responsibility demonstrate self-respect and express a sense of personal well-being.

1. Self-determination
Sample “I” Statements
•I can show a sense of accomplishment and joy.
•I can celebrate my efforts and accomplishments.
•I can advocate for myself and my ideas.
•I can imagine and work toward change in myself and the world.
•I take the initiative to inform myself about controversial issues.

2. Self-regulation
Sample “I” Statements
•I can sometimes recognize emotions.
•I can use strategies that help me manage my feelings and emotions.
•I can persevere with challenging tasks.
•I can implement, monitor, and adjust a plan and assess the results.
•I can take ownership of my goals, learning, and behaviour.

3. Well-being
Sample “I” Statements
• I can participate in activities that support my well-being, & tell/show how they help me.
• I can take some responsibility for my physical and emotional well- being.
• I can make choices that benefit my well-being and keep me safe in my community, including my
online interactions.
• I can use strategies to find peace in stressful times.
• I can sustain a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

The profiles emphasize the concept of growing and expanding.

They are progressive and additive.
 SOC IA L
R E SP ONSIB ILIT Y
CORE COMPETENCY

PS
Social responsibility involves the ability and disposition to consider the
interdependence of people with each other and the natural environment; to
contribute positively to one’s family, community, society, and the environment; to
resolve problems peacefully; to empathize with others and appreciate their
perspectives; and to create and maintain healthy relationships.

1. Contributing to community and caring for the environment

Sample “I” Statements
• With some support, I can be part of a group.
• I can participate in classroom and group activities to improve the classroom, school community, or natural world.
• I contribute to group activities that make my classroom, school, community, or natural world a better place.
• I can identify how my actions and the actions of others affect my community and the
natural environment and can work to make positive change.
• I can analyze complex social or environmental issues from multiple perspectives. I can take thoughtful
actions to influence positive, sustainable change.

2. Solving problems in peaceful ways

Sample “I” Statements
• I can solve some problems myself and can identify when to ask for help.
• I can identify problems and compare potential problem-solving strategies.
• I can clarify problems, consider alternatives, and evaluate strategies.
• I can clarify problems or issues, generate multiple strategies, weigh consequences, compromise to meet
the needs of others, and evaluate actions.

3. Valuing diversity
Sample “I” Statements
• With some direction, I can demonstrate respectful and inclusive behaviour.
• I can explain when something is unfair.
• I can advocate for others.
• I take action to support diversity and defend human rights, and can identify how diversity is beneficial
for my community, including online.

4. Building relationships
Sample “I” Statements
• With some support, I can be part of a group.
• I am kind to others, can work or play co-operatively, and can build relationships with people of my choosing.
• I can identify when others need support and provide it.
• I am aware of how others may feel and take steps to help them feel included.
• I build and sustain positive relationships with diverse people, including people from different generations.

The profiles emphasize the concept of growing and expanding.

They are progressive and additive.